The Science of Mind, by Ernest Shurtleff Holmes [1926], at sacred-texts.com

THE PROBLEM OF EVIL

Evil will remain a problem as long as any one believes in it. This may sound rather startling until one has taken the time to think the matter through to a conclusion. Evil; of itself, is neither person, place nor thing, but is only a certain use that we make of life. We call that evil which we feel is the wrong thing to do; but our ideas of good and evil change with the unfoldment of our thought about, and belief in, life; for what was thought to be good yesterday, is to-day considered evil; and what, yesterday, was considered to be evil, is to-day called good.

Generally speaking, we may consider evil to be that which is destructive in its nature, and good to be that which is constructive

Evil, then, will disappear in the exact proportion that we cease using destructive methods; and good will appear to the degree that we embody constructive methods. To turn from evil and do good is the desire of every soul who is consecrated to the Truth; this we can do only as we cease talking about, believing in, or doing evil.

The problem of evil will continue to be a problem just as long as we believe in it. Good will appear only as we embody it. Each soul has within a sure test, a something which directs and guides it. This Something is the Spirit of God and It knows no evil.

but an inevitable consequence. As long as we make mistakes we shall be sinning; and just so long, we shall automatically be punished; for the law is certain and sure. As we turn to the Good, we will stop doing evil and, therefore, stop sinning.

The problem is solved as we turn from all that hurts, all that is destructive, all that denies the Good, and turn with our whole being into the light and toward the Truth. Evil is swallowed up in the Good as we learn to live daily in the Presence of God. "I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more." 100 That is, it will be completely blotted out; it will cease to be.

With our whole heart, with our whole being, in sincerity and honesty, with a complete trust in the Good, yearning toward It with a soul-desire that will be satisfied, we should turn to God, as the Supreme Presence, as the Complete Life, forsaking any belief in evil; we should turn so completely to the Spirit that our souls will become illumined by the Light Eternal.

Evil will cease to be when we stop looking at it; it never really was and is but a supposition. Let us, then, turn to the Path of Light and look to the God Within. Let us say, "Thou Infinite, Indwelling God, within me, knowing no evil, teach me of Thy ways, and in Thy wisdom make me wise. Almighty God within me, direct me into the way of the All Good." Let us turn completely from any and every belief in evil and do good. The problem will thus be solved and we shall realize that only the Good remains.